Director's Memo

Director's Memo
February 26, 1999 1998/99 no. 9
Gleanings from CHL - February 19, 1999
1. Virtual Library for the Biomedical Research Initiative (P. Richwine)
The Biomedical Research Initiative (BRI) is the $25 million/year proposal currently before the state legislature to foster research and development in biomedical-related areas. It is a collaboration between the major research universities in the state and private for-profit corporations. The libraries are proposing that a portion of that $25 million be allocated for access to information. Specifically the libraries are proposing statewide (universities only, including IPFW) access to Chemical Abstracts, BIOSIS, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, EI Compendex, and Web of Science. In addition, the libraries are requesting funds for access to electronic journals.
2. Interlibrary Loan (P. Steele)
The IUPUI-IUB experiment to provide faculty the same loan period via interlibrary loan as in person seems to be successful and has eliminated several steps in the DDS process. A pilot project between the Medical Library and the IUB Life Sciences Library is also underway and seeks to establish a 24-hour turnaround for journal articles. Phase I of the CIC/Virtual Electronic Library has been implemented in Bloomington and the software is now available to all in the system. Judy Dye is chairing a committee (that includes Cheryl) to help make this happen. It is unlikely that much will happen until we have a new catalog, because the automation staff will be tied up with conversion activities. IU has put together a spec for using the UnCover SUMO user-initiated document delivery system. There is apparently a "large charge" for setting up the gateway server, especially in light of the fact that IUCAT serial holdings are not in US Marc format.
3. Library Instruction (P. Steele)
A video on using IUCAT has been prepared by UGL staff and will be distributed to regional campus libraries shortly.
4. Horizon decision (P. Davidson)
IU and Ameritech are working on a performance bond that will require major solutions by May. IU wants Ameritech to say "I give up!" In the meantime, the LITS staff are looking at other possibilities with SIRSI, Endeavor, and Ex-Libris the front runners. The goal is to implement a new system by Summer 2000. To do so will require a decision by this summer. Davidson pledged that we will not implement until we are ready, but at the same time she warned that we would all have a great deal of work to do this next year, no matter what. The equipment replacement plan meeting (our Compaqs) is scheduled for next month. The LTS will be asking for an inventory of IU equipment on our campus (Jim B. is already working on this.)
5. Technical Services (M. Kaplan)
The re-organization of technical services in Bloomington is now complete with the appointments of JoAnne Deeker as Head of Acquisitions and Mechael Gago (now Charbonneau) as Head of Cataloging. The 2nd recon file was loaded last week. The database warehousing project should be available later this spring. This will give us an incredible amount of data from our system, such as a "newly cataloged titles list." This system uses the same Access software we are using with our on-order file. We'll all learn the basics of Access when all this data becomes available. Kaplan's unit has clearly been directed to find some cost savings. He has done this partly by shifting the cataloging burden to the regional campuses, and partly by tightening up on his use of OCLC. He tells us to use the resource files for cataloging. He hopes to save nearly a quarter million dollars this year by using the resource files. IU will no longer strive to have the perfect catalog.
6. Annual Librarian Reviews
The Bloomington librarians have voted to add peer review to their annual performance review process. Each librarian will have two written assessments that will be forwarded to the dean, one from the peer group and one from the supervisor.
7. Database license (M. Brogan)
We have spent about 350 of the 1500 Peak tokens purchased for access through August. Elsevier has announced interest in continuing the project based on the cost of journal expenditures. There are, however, no details yet. The Web of Science is in the Bloomington budget for seed money. (We would have to pay our own share.) OCLC, SilverPlatter, and Lexis-Nexis are all trying to negotiate deals with us collectively.

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Director's Memo
February 26, 1999 1998/99 no. 9
Gleanings from CHL - February 19, 1999
1. Virtual Library for the Biomedical Research Initiative (P. Richwine)
The Biomedical Research Initiative (BRI) is the $25 million/year proposal currently before the state legislature to foster research and development in biomedical-related areas. It is a collaboration between the major research universities in the state and private for-profit corporations. The libraries are proposing that a portion of that $25 million be allocated for access to information. Specifically the libraries are proposing statewide (universities only, including IPFW) access to Chemical Abstracts, BIOSIS, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, EI Compendex, and Web of Science. In addition, the libraries are requesting funds for access to electronic journals.
2. Interlibrary Loan (P. Steele)
The IUPUI-IUB experiment to provide faculty the same loan period via interlibrary loan as in person seems to be successful and has eliminated several steps in the DDS process. A pilot project between the Medical Library and the IUB Life Sciences Library is also underway and seeks to establish a 24-hour turnaround for journal articles. Phase I of the CIC/Virtual Electronic Library has been implemented in Bloomington and the software is now available to all in the system. Judy Dye is chairing a committee (that includes Cheryl) to help make this happen. It is unlikely that much will happen until we have a new catalog, because the automation staff will be tied up with conversion activities. IU has put together a spec for using the UnCover SUMO user-initiated document delivery system. There is apparently a "large charge" for setting up the gateway server, especially in light of the fact that IUCAT serial holdings are not in US Marc format.
3. Library Instruction (P. Steele)
A video on using IUCAT has been prepared by UGL staff and will be distributed to regional campus libraries shortly.
4. Horizon decision (P. Davidson)
IU and Ameritech are working on a performance bond that will require major solutions by May. IU wants Ameritech to say "I give up!" In the meantime, the LITS staff are looking at other possibilities with SIRSI, Endeavor, and Ex-Libris the front runners. The goal is to implement a new system by Summer 2000. To do so will require a decision by this summer. Davidson pledged that we will not implement until we are ready, but at the same time she warned that we would all have a great deal of work to do this next year, no matter what. The equipment replacement plan meeting (our Compaqs) is scheduled for next month. The LTS will be asking for an inventory of IU equipment on our campus (Jim B. is already working on this.)
5. Technical Services (M. Kaplan)
The re-organization of technical services in Bloomington is now complete with the appointments of JoAnne Deeker as Head of Acquisitions and Mechael Gago (now Charbonneau) as Head of Cataloging. The 2nd recon file was loaded last week. The database warehousing project should be available later this spring. This will give us an incredible amount of data from our system, such as a "newly cataloged titles list." This system uses the same Access software we are using with our on-order file. We'll all learn the basics of Access when all this data becomes available. Kaplan's unit has clearly been directed to find some cost savings. He has done this partly by shifting the cataloging burden to the regional campuses, and partly by tightening up on his use of OCLC. He tells us to use the resource files for cataloging. He hopes to save nearly a quarter million dollars this year by using the resource files. IU will no longer strive to have the perfect catalog.
6. Annual Librarian Reviews
The Bloomington librarians have voted to add peer review to their annual performance review process. Each librarian will have two written assessments that will be forwarded to the dean, one from the peer group and one from the supervisor.
7. Database license (M. Brogan)
We have spent about 350 of the 1500 Peak tokens purchased for access through August. Elsevier has announced interest in continuing the project based on the cost of journal expenditures. There are, however, no details yet. The Web of Science is in the Bloomington budget for seed money. (We would have to pay our own share.) OCLC, SilverPlatter, and Lexis-Nexis are all trying to negotiate deals with us collectively.